The Medical and Scientific Advisory Board

Professor Sir John Arbuthnott – Chair

Sir John, a distinguished microbiologist, formerly Chairman of Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board and Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Strathclyde.

In 1997 Sir John chaired the National Review of Resource Allocation, the main task of which was to conduct an independent review of the way NHS funding is allocated annually in the Scottish NHS Boards. Since standing down from his position at the University, he has remained actively involved in a number of government and NHS initiatives, charities and businesses. Educated at Glasgow University (Bsc, PhD) and Trinity College, Dublin (MA, ScD), he was made a Knight Bachelor for services to education in 1998.

Dr Adam Bryson, OBE – Secretary

Adam was Medical Director of National Services Scotland (NSS) from 2003 until 2009 when he retired from the NHS. He was a consultant in Public Health Medicine and had been Medical Director of the National Services Division of NSS since 1999. Prior to joining NSS, Adam was Medical Director of the West Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust. Earlier in his career, he held a number of medical managerial and public health posts, had experience as a General Practitioner and has also worked abroad. Adam’s professional interests include the pursuit of clinical effectiveness. He served on a number of national planning and working groups including the Kerr Report (Fit for Future). In 2005 he was awarded an OBE for services to Medicine in Scotland.

Dr Alastair Innes

Alastair is Clinical Director of Respiratory Medicine for NHS Lothian and Honorary Reader in Respiratory Medicine at the University of Edinburgh. As a member of the Strategy Group, he heads the clinical part of the CFGT research team in Edinburgh. Alastair qualified in Edinburgh, and trained in Newcastle, London and Los Angeles before returning to a consultant post at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh. He has worked in Adult Cystic Fibrosis care for 18 years, during which time he was involved in initial trials of nasal CF gene therapy in Edinburgh. Alastair’s principal research interests are in novel clinical physiological measurements of airways disease and their use to monitor disease processes and response to therapy.

Professor Curtis G Gemmell

Emeritus Professor of Bacterial Infection and Epidemiology, Medical School, University of Glasgow and Research Professor, Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Professor Gemmell provides a consultancy service to biotechnology and healthcare companies in his role as Director of In vivo Simulations Ltd. During his career he has been closely associated with the development of several antibiotics and has a special interest in meticillin – resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection in healthcare. Professor Gemmell is an internationally renowned leader in research, investigating human bacterial pathogens.